30/10, Bullet Train Vote, Transpo Bill Reauthorization, L.A. HOT Lanes & More

All Aboard! How To Escape Los Angeles This Summer (Metrolink)
LAist

Assembly Approves High-Speed Rail Funding ("Speaker John Pérez said high-speed rail has "enormous potential for California." But funding for the $8 billion project faces an uncertain future in the Senate, which is expected to vote Friday.")
Los Angeles Times

Assembly Votes To Approve Funds For California High-Speed Rail
Sacramento Bee

Buck Up, Reformers: Despite The Hard Knocks, This Bill Is A Step Forward ("Based on what we are up against, we did okay. Transportation Enhancements survived — and 50 percent of the money, about $400 million, is directly delegated to metropolitan planning organizations in urbanized areas with populations over 200,000 for project selection and oversight. The rest is still controlled by state DOTs but is up for grabs -- if we can convince governors not to opt out of the program.")
StreetsBlog DC

California High-Speed Rail Plan Faces Tough Vote In Senate
Reuters

Can Twitter Manage Vehicle Fleets?
Government Technology

Civil Rights Groups To Build Toward 2014 Transportation Bill Reauthorization
StreetsBlog DC

Claremont Metro Gold Line Funding Decades Away
Claremont Courier

Congestion On The 4th Of July, The Orange Line And Dennis P. Zine
StreetsBlog LA

Congress Approves Federal Highway Bill Valued At $105 Billion: Bill Ensures Intelligent Transportation Systems Initiatives Are Eligible For Increased Levels Of Funding
Market Watch

Council Raises Parking Fees, Exempts New Car Dealers From Taxes
LA Observed

Don't Blame Cars For The Shortcomings Of Mass Transit
Washington Examiner

The End Of Taxis
The Atlantic: Cities

Federal Transportation Bill Could Help Local Transit Projects
Los Angeles Wave

Filling A City With Moving Walkwalys: Is This A Good Ideas?
The Atlantic: Cities

FTA Issues Decision On L.A. Transit Corridor's Environmental Guidelines
Progressive Railroading

High-Speed Rail Boss Says CA Project Will Stop If Lawmakers Vote "No"
Sacramento Bee

Impact Of New Highway Bill On Transportation Construction
For Construction Pros

Lawmakers Drop Provision That Would Have Boosted Mass Transit Tax Break
Business Insurance

Local Schools To Benefit From $48.5M In Caltrans Grants
Los Angeles Daily News

Loudon Board Votes To Support Silver Line (The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted 5-4 to support extending D.C.'s Metrorail to Dulles Airport, ending months of uncertainty over the project's fate)
Washington Post

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Sen. Barbara Boxer Praise Federal Transportation Bill ("President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill, which will accelerate transportation projects in Los Angeles County, Friday.")
NBC Los Angeles

Mayor Celebrates Big Win ("Although most of the news media and the local political community have treated this effort with great indifference, approval of America Fast Forward is one of the most important transportation developments in recent local history.")
LA Observed

More Details On L.A. HOT Lanes Project
Road Pricing Blog

New Federal Transportation Bill to Accelerate Local Subway, Freeway Projects (video : "A new $100 billion federal transportation bill could help expedite several major road and rail projects in the Southland.")
CBS Los Angeles

New Math At Muni Led To Decade Of Inflated On-Time Performance: Officials, Informed Of Accounting Maneuvers In 2010, Did Nothing
Bay Citizen

Nothing Really Pays for Itself (Except Maybe Toll Roads)
Planetizen

Obama's Transportation Secretary Hails Chinese Infrastructure
Foreign Policy

Pacific Electric Subway Opens (Photo essay of construction and other images from 1924-1925)
Los Angeles Times

Report: Traffic Studies Systematically Overstate The Benefits Of Road Projects
StreetsBlog DC

Richard Close Explains The Process of Overseeing The Dissolution Of The Los Angeles CRA
The Planning Report

Some Senators Want Dramatic Shift In Bullet Train Plan
California Watch

A Step To Lose Face Over ("An 87-second video montage online showing travelers tripping on the stairs. By day’s end, it had reached an audience of more than 300,000, including at least a few officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Hours after the video was posted, in what maintenance workers classified as perhaps the fastest response to a customer complaint in agency history, a crew was dispatched to inspect the step.")
New York Times

Villaraigosa Praises Transportation Bill Expected To Accelerate L.A. Projects: The Bill Could Speed Up Several Major Transportation Projects In L.A. County Including The Westside Subway Extension
Westwood-Century City Patch

Villaraigosa, Yaroslavsky And Boxer Praise Federal Transportation Bill That Will Fund L.A. Projects
Los Angeles Daily News

Villaraigosa's Lobbying Pays Off: 30/10 Loan Program Approved By Congress
KPCC Southern California Public Radio

Wait 'Til Next Year: Parking Reform Bill Pulled From Assembly Committee
StreetsBlog LA

Will Bullet Train Be Stopped In Its Tracks? ("After nearly two decades of debate, the decision to move ahead on the California bullet train will come down to a state Senate vote today. It may be decided by one or two members.")
Los Angeles Times

Will China Pay More For A VIP Subway Seat?
Wall Street Journal

Yesterday's Car Subsidies Are Still Shaping Today's Landscape
StreetsBlog Network
Rethinking The "Subsidy" Debate
Seattle Transit Blog


What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.

Regional Connector, Bullet Train Showdown, Orange Line, I-710, Union Station & More

6 Concepts Metro's Considering For A 405 Transit Project
Curbed LA

2011 Urban Congestion Trends: Improving Travel Reliability With Operations (8p. PDF)
Federal Highway Administration

Bicycle Road Safety Audit Guidelines And Prompt Lists (87p. PDF)
Federal Highway Administration

Bullet Train Could Shoot Down Brown's Tax Initiative
Los Angeles Times

Caltrans, Metro Seeking Public's Voice On Proposed Major 710 Freeway Project ("The project proposes widening the freeway to up to 5 lanes in each direction and a possible creation of a four-lane freight corridor to be used by clean technology trucks.")
South Gate Patch

Car-Pooling Makes A Surge On Apps And Social Media
New York Times

Central Valley Farmers Protest High-Speed Rail
San Francisco Chronicle

Cheers, Concern Greet New Federal Building Plan
Los Angeles Downtown News

Editorial: Stop California High-Speed Rail In Its Tracks
Silicon Valley Mercury News

EIR Released For The "Other" 710 Project, Let's Get Ready To Widen
StreetsBlog LA

Foothill Transit Marks First All-Women Board
Pasadena Star-News

Free Metro Passes For Foster Kids
Santa Monica Daily Press

Freeway Murals Along The 101 Attract Attention, Resist Graffiti
Blog Downtown

High-Speed Rail Bill Includes Regional Money, Oversight Language
Sacramento Bee

How Senate Districts Would Benefit From CA High-Speed Rail (District-by-district graph)
Sacramento Bee

Long Beach Set To Fight 405 Expansion In Orange County
Long Beach Gazettes

Los Angeles Buses Moving To Smart Card Fares (LADOT DASH and Commuter Express)
Government Technology

Metro's Regional Connector Able To Move Into Final Design Stage
Blog Downtown

MTA Says No To Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Claremont
San Gabriel Valley Business Journal

Muni's Systemwide All-Door Boarding Catches On
San Francisco Chronicle

Opinion: High-Speed Rail Boosts Economy
San Bernardino Sun

The Orange Line Extension: Another Reason To Leave Your Car At Home
Huffington Post

Property Owners Split On $62 Million Streetcar ("Divided Community Will Vote on Whether to Help Fund the Overall $125 Million Project.")
Los Angeles Downtown News

Rockets, Cable Cars, And Protest Marches: Past SoCal Fourth Of July Observances
LA As Subject via KCET

Taking Art To The Street, Literally
The Atlantic: Cities

Train Wars: The Future Of Rail In America ("A documentary film about America's culture war and high-speed rail in California)
via Kickstarter

UDOT Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) Observations And Experience (37p. PDF)
Utah Department Of Transportation

Under New Bill, America's Transpo Loan Program Ignores National Goals
StreetsBlog DC

The Underground New York Public Library (A subway-hopping photographer memorializes reading riders on a Tumblr blog)
The Atlantic: Cities

Union Station Contest: LA OK For Grimshaw Team
Architects Journal

Williams Shelves Transit Bill That Angered Local Officials In County
Ventura County Star

With New Money Pledged For Caltrain, State's Bullet Train Likely To Pass Friday, Officials Say
Silicon Valley Mercury News


What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles

Orange Line, I-710, Bullet Train, Alameda Corridor East, Highway Bill & More

July 3 & 4: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History (The Mount Lowe Railway and Pacific Electric's line to Long Beach open)
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

3 County Supes Become The Challenge To Extending Measure R
City Watch

Blazing A Bike And Pedestrian Path By The Orange Line: The Path Is Being Billed As The Longest "Transit-Adjacent" Bikeway Of Its Kind In Los Angeles County
Northridge-Chatsworth Patch

Caltrans Releases Draft EIR On 710 Expansion For Review
Long Beach Gazettes

Closure Coming To 210 Ahead Of Bridge Work
Glendora Patch

Congress OKs Transportation Bill Expected To Speed Up L.A. Projects
Century City Patch

Construction Authority Attempts To Separate From Troubled Regional Agency
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Editorial: Revamped Bullet Train Plan Deserves Green Light
San Francisco Chronicle

Federal Transportation Bill A Disappointment, Leaving States To Take Up Mantle Of Reform
Mobilizing The Region

Foster Teens Get Free Ride On LA Metro
Santa Clarita Valley News

Gold Line Foothill Extension Funding Still Up In The Air Following Metro's Measure R Vote
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

How Much Will New Federal Safety Mandates Cost Transit Agencies?
StreetsBlog Network

In Traffic? Next Time, Use An App
New York Times

LaHood Thanks Congress For Passing Highway Bill
The Hill

Metro To Pick Up Cost Of Bus, Train Rides For Thousands In Foster Program
Los Angeles Daily News

New Metro Orange Line Station In Chatsworth Adds Four Miles To The Bus Line
CSUN Daily Sundial

NFL Commish Says LA Stadium Should Be Able To Host 2 Teams
Curbed LA

Notice Of Preparation (NOP) Of An Environmental Impact Report (EIR): 40+ Miles Of Bike Lanes
LADOT Bike Blog

Opinion: While Washington Is Divided, America's Mayors Are Leading The Way ("Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the country. You can hear 224 languages spoken in our neighborhoods, on our streets, and at our plazas. Angelenos hail from over 140 countries, and we have the largest population of Mexicans, Armenians, and Koreans outside of their home country, just to name a few. Last week was an important first step with passage of a Surface Transportation Bill that included America Fast Forward. This innovative federal loan program will allow Los Angeles and cities across this country to speed the expansion of their transit systems while accelerating the creation of one million jobs. Let’s build on that momentum to take on the tough challenges.")
National Journal

Plan: Freeway Widening To 14 Lanes From Sea To L.A. ("An EIR for the charged 710 proposal is taking public input for 60 days. The 710 would add 2 lanes and have a 4-lane trucks-only freeway from Port of Long Beach to L.A. but claim 400 homes and businesses.")
Belmont Shores-Naples Patch

Scenes From Orange Line Extension's Opening Day In The Valley
Curbed LA

SF Has Turned 30 Car Parking Spots Into 336 Bike Parking Spots
San Francisco Chronicle

Subway Mosaic, Best Public Art In America?
Transportation Nation

Transpo Bill Compromise Isn't Progress
Next American City

Transportation Bill: An Early Christmas Present Or A Lump Of Coal?
National Journal Transportation Experts Blog

Transportation Bill Heading To President Obama's Desk
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

Transportation Conflict Resurfaces For Gov. Jerry Brown ("Brown's plan, due to go into effect today, would consolidate a number of state agencies and hitherto independent commissions into a new array of superagencies.")

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/03/4606496/dan-walters-transportation-conflict.html#storylink=cpy"

Sacramento Bee

Under New Bill, America's Transpo Loan Program Ignores National Goals
StreetsBlog DC

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $29 Million To Help Veterans And Military Families Connect To Jobs And More By Tapping Local Transportation
U.S. DOT Press Release

Welcome To The Bike Wars. City Announces Meetings For Bike Plan EIR
StreetsBlog LA

Why Environmental Reports Are Slowing Down Big Projects
The Atlantic: Cities

Winners And Losers In Highway Battle
The Hill
What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.

Orange Line Extension, MAP-21, Measure R+, Gold Line Foothill Extension, HSR & More

$17B Transit Bill Would Extend Sales Tax Hike Through 2069
CBS Los Angeles

401 Broadway Proposal In Santa Monica Goes From Car-Free To Robo-Garage
StreetsBlog LA

Advancing High-Speed Rail Policy In The United States (88p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

Advocates: Transpo Bill Ignores Trends, Shrinks From 21st Century Challenges
StreetsBlog DC

Amenity Or Necessity? Street Standards As Parking Policy (66p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

America's Generation Y Not Driven To Drive ("From 2001 to 2009, the average annual number of vehicle-miles traveled by people ages 16-34 dropped 23 percent, from 10,300 to 7,900, the survey found. Gen Y-ers, also known as Millennials, tend to ride bicycles, take public transit and rely on virtual media. More than a quarter of Millennials - 26 percent - lacked a driver's license in 2010, up 5 percentage points from 2000, the Federal Highway Administration reported.")
Reuters

Buses, Limos And Shuttles At LAX Cited In Inspection Crackdown
Los Angeles Times

California Bullet Train Vote: High-Speed Rail Faces Contentious Decision
Huffington Post

Cash For Gold, Yes; Cash For Gold Line, No
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Central Cities Now Growing Faster Than Suburbs, Confirming Trends For Walkable Lifestyles, Shorter Commutes
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

Cheat Sheet For MAP-21, New Federal Transportation Bill (Concise breakdown of what is in the bill, what is not, in two parts)
Transportation Issues Daily
Cheat Sheet Part 2

Congress OKs Transportation Bill Expected To Speed Up L.A. Projects
Northridge-Chatsworth Patch

Congress Passes Major Transportation Bill, Preserving The Status Quo ("MAP-21 will provide federal funding for highways and transit over the next 27 months. Passing the bill was an accomplishment for a do-little Congress, but serious issues about how to pay for transportation in the future have yet to be resolved. Nonetheless, there are some interesting features in the bill for new transit capital projects.")
The Transport Politic

Driverless Transport Pods Finally Starting To Catch On
GOOD

EIR For 710 Corridor Project Released For Review
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Expansion Of Measure R Half-Cent Sales Tax To Hit Ballot In November
NBC Los Angeles

Federal Transportation Bill Includes America Fast Forward Provisions
StreetsBlog LA

Gold Line Foothill Extension Funding Still Up In The Air Following Metro's Measure R Vote
Pasadena Star-News

HSR Is Good For The Economy -- And Good For The Budget
California High Speed Rail Blog

How Smart Should Our Maps Be? (The future of maps isn't directions, it's information)
The Atlantic: Cities

How The Transportation Bill Failed America ("Lawmakers had the opportunity to achieve transformative change. They didn’t seize it.")
The Atlantic: Cities

Hundreds Ride The New Orange Line Buses For Free This Weekend ("Metro held two separate community shindigs on Saturday, one in Canoga Park and the other in Chatsworth in celebration of the new four-mile dedicated busway and bike path along Canoga Avenue.")
Northridge-Chatsworth Patch

LA Starts Process To Close Gaps In The Backbone Bike Network
Curbed LA

Long Beach 710 Freeway To Expand to 14 Lanes
KABC Los Angeles

Long Beach To Cut Seal Beach Bus Service After Charges Of Racism
Los Angeles Times

Mayor Applauds Passage Of Federal Transportation Bill ("$101 billion plan passed today that could bring light rail through the Sepulveda Pass, as well as a Westside subway extension.")
Sherman Oaks Patch

Metro Offers Free Rides All Weekend Long To Mark Orange Line Extension
CBS Los Angeles

Metro's Orange Line Debuts, Offers Free Rides (video)
KABC Los Angeles

No Train For You: Gold Line Stops At Azusa
KCET

O.C. Toll Roads To Stop Taking Cash, Cut Toll-Booth Jobs ("The county is looking to save money by eliminating toll booth operators and phasing out cash payments, in addition to raising toll rates.")
Los Angeles Times

Orange Line Busway Extension Draws Thousands
Los Angeles Daily News

Orange Line Extension Opens With Free Rides
Los Angeles Times

Origins: The Street Names Of Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks Patch

Perceived And Actual Wait Time Measurement At Transit Stops Using Bluetooth (27p. PDF)
Transportation Northwest

Photos: Orange Line Opens For Riders (photo gallery)
Los Angeles Daily News

Public Transit Routing And Layer Now Available In The Google Maps API
Google Geo Developers Blog

Seeking Common Ground To Solve Our Transportation Problems (What does the President of Shell Oil add to a panel on smart transportation?)
The Atlantic

Southern California's Mobility 21 Applauds Passage Of Federal Transportation Bill
Business Wire

Still Much To Accomplish, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Says, As Clock Ticks On His Term
Los Angeles Daily News

The Tea Party's Selective Disdain For Transportation Subsidies
StreetsBlog Network

U.S. Politicians Slash Bike Funding
Bike Biz

Why America's Love Affair With Cars Is No Accident ("The auto industry campaigned against the relatively bloody rise of cars in the early 20th century via TV, the term "jaywalker" and school safety patrols.")
Scientific American 

Will California Bite The High-Speed Rail Bullet?
BBC


What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.